And, now we want to take you into the middle of turbulent change. It is the first day the people of venezuela are no longer under the strong control of their president, hugo chavez. America vitally affected over what happens after chavez's death. And abc's matt gutman reports. Reporter: Part funeral, part carnival and all jam-packed. Today, miles of mourners said good-bye. We cut through those thick crowds. Finding tears streaming down maria jona's face. Chavez, she told me, provided her with everything, a home, a pension to live on. And as his body floated by -- intention. Everybody wants to get close to the body of the man they still revere. And they chanted. And look closely. Protected by those paratroopers, the man in the yellow track suit. He's nicolas maduro. Chavez's hand-picked successor. They tell me they trust maduro as much as they did chavez. But maduro's first act as interim president was accusing america of infecting chavez, leading to his death. A charge echoed by none other than iran's ahmadinejad, who today said his friend chavez died of a "suspicious illness." The state department called the charge absurd. Venezuela sits atop of the world's biggest oil reserves, and the people here know it. Gas here costs just 2 cents a gallon. The country can pump much more. Once the mourning is over, all eyes will turn to the election to see if a new leader can take this country in a new direction. Matt gutman, abc news, caracas.

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